"...To Stay by Your Side..." (AOT Alternative Universe)

36. Historia

AUTHOR'S POV:

In a line, the recruits made their way to a cabin while it was snowing.
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Eren, Mikasa, Faye and Armin walked through the snow, bundled up in thick gray coats, scarves covering their mouths.
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Connie and Sasha walked in silence.
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"Come on! The goal is right here!" One of the instructors said, standing next to a pole with the Training Corps flag waving in the wind. "Keep it up!"

"Nine hours and twelve minutes." Her companion said. "Not a bad time, considering the weather."
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Flames from the bonfire cackled as some of the trainees waited by the fence.

Eren fell to the ground. "Thought we were gonna die out there. No one ever said winter training would be this tough."

"Well, you should have see it coming." Faye said, standing next to Mikasa.

"Damn it, I can't feel my legs." Jean said, sitting against the fence next to Eren.

Connie sighed. "I wish they'd let us inside already."

"I bet they're busy putting together a huge feast for us!" Sasha said. "Yum..."

"Hey!" Reiner called out, getting their attention and running to them. "Christa is missing."

"Huh?" Eren said.

"She was sticking with Daz since he wasn't doing so well." Mikasa said.

"Daz isn't here either. Ymir as well." Marco said, coming up to him. "Maybe they're with the last squad?"

"Can't be." Reiner said, turning around to look at the last group. "The last squad, led by Thomas, just arrived. They never saw those three."

Armin's eyes were wide. "You don't think... they got lost?"

"Hey..." Connie said. "They don't stand a chance if they're stuck in this blizzard."

"Shit!" Eren said, standing up.

"Eren!" Mikasa said and grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"I'm going back out to try and find them!" Eren said.

"Me, too." Marco said.

"Everyone, get in the cabin." The instructor ordered.

"But... Christa and-" Eren said.

"Yeah. We'll send a rescue team first thing in the morning." She said.

"It'll be too late by then!" Eren said. heatedly.

"We won't make any more victims!"

They faltered at her words.

A cold gust of wind blew and Mikasa, Faye and Eren closed their eyes, bracing themselves.

The flames in the bonfire flickered.
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Inside the forest as a storm raged, Christa balanced a small branch on the shoulder with a lantern hanging on the end, pulling a sled with a body in it.

"Christa." Ymir called out, following behind, holding a lantern of her own. "Christa, give it up."

With a stubborn look on her face, Christa kept moving, not replying.

"Listen to me." Ymir said.

"Never." Christa said.

"Daz already has one foot in the grave." Ymir said. "It's his own fault for doing this training to boost his score without knowing how much his body can take. He's just not cut out to be a soldier."
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